Most Wasted Ingredients

Rice

Rice is a stable ingredient in modern Australian cooking. As a short-lifespan food once it’s cooked, it’s also one which easily ends up on the bin. Understanding a few key principals about how to store and cook your rice will help keep your rice safe to eat and reduce how much you throw out.

Store |

The risk with leftover cooked rice is one of bacterial contamination. Stored in the wrong way, toxins will multiply in rice, creating a potential source of food poisoning. To ensure your food is stored safely:

Keep cooked rice in a fully air-tight container in your fridge and consume within three days of cooking.

Cool quickly after cooking. Bacteria multiples quickly at room temperature so it’s important to have your rice in the fridge as soon as it’s stopped steaming. Aim to refrigerate within 1 – 1 ½ hours after cooking.

Cooked rice can be frozen and saved for another meal. We recommend consuming within 2 weeks of freezing for maximum taste and to avoid freezer burn.

Reheat frozen rice in the microwave – do not thaw on your countertop.

Cook |

Reduce waste by getting your serving sizes right. As a general rule, cook 1/2 cup rice per person and more if you’d like leftovers.

Many dishes call directly for day old rice, fried rice being the common example. Older rice is drier and less sticky, meaning it’s perfect for dishes needing less moisture or to put into dishes where moisture is added. The following are ideas for ways to use up your rice:

Fried rice – toss rice through sauteed vegetables with soy and other flavourings of your choice

Soups – stir rice through at the end of the cooking process to bulk up a soup.

Stuffed tomatoes/capsicums – combine rice with nuts, cooked onions, garlic tomatoes and other favourite ingredients before baking for 20 minutes in the oven.

Rice pudding – stir rice in with milk, sugar and vanilla until thickened for this winter comfort dessert.

Fun Fact |

Rice is the main source of nutrition for more than half the world’s population.

Recipe Ideas |

Try out these recipes to get some ideas as to how you could use rice in your cooking: